Get off the couch

If you are like most people, you have a busy and stressful life. Trying to balance your job and your family and still find time for yourself is hard for many people to do. Instead, think of ways to add activity to your life so it becomes part of your day-to-day routine. Here 10 super easy tips that can help you.

1. When you talk on the phone, move around: Don’t sit still. As we work, we sit more than we do anything else. We’re averaging 9.3 hours a day, compared to 7.7 hours of sleeping. Sitting 6+ hours per day makes you up 40% likelier to die within 15 years that someone who sits less than 3. Even if you exercise. Studies show that only reducing sitting time helps.

2. Walk around your car while you wait for your husband or your children to finish their activities.

3. Run or take the stairs instead of the elevator and burn extra calories. You can burn about 0.1 calories for every step you climb. You also burn calories going down. Every stair descended burns about 0.05 calories. So you can burn 2 calories for 20 stairs you climb, and burn 1calorie for every 20 steps down. Add some color to your life. Runners everywhere can’t get enough of the Ghost  – colorful Women’s Road Running Shoes. Run , jump and have fun. 

4. Use breaks at work to a brisk walk outside – or even inside (10- minute is fine). A brisk walk is one of the best natural energizers around. It boosts circulation and increases oxygen supply to each and every cell in your body, helping you to feel more alert and alive.

5. Walk yourself out of the bad mood. Studies show that even 10-minute walks immediately boost brain chemistry to increase happiness. Getting active releases feel-good endorphins into the bloodstream, reducing stress and anxiety.

6.  Make an exercise date with a friend. Instead of going to the mall to eat or shop, go to walk or exercise. If you have a hard time exercising because it takes time away from your family, think of activities you can do together.

7. Find the activity that you enjoy. If you don’t like exercise in club or groups, you can bike, dance, swim or walk. Walking burns 3-5 times the calories that sitting.

8. If you drive, park as far away from the destination so you will have farther to walk.

9. Walk instead of driving. Wear a pedometer. It shows how many steps you take and can encourage you to find ways to add more steps each day. Try to work up to minimum 10,000 steps or 5 miles a day. A good walk can help strengthen and shape your legs, giving great definition to calves, quads, and hamstrings, and lifting your glutes .

10. While watching TV, get up and walk around. Those who sit 3 hours or more per day watching TV are 64% more likely to die from heart disease. Get off the couch.